harmon



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l. D. B. HARD/ION.

BALLAST GAR.

No. 257,160. Patented May 2,1882.

(No Model.) 2 sheetssheet 2. D. B. HARMON.

BALLAST GAR.

No. 257,160. Patented' May 2,1882

Milf@ N. PETERS. Phare-Langman", wzshingmn. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT Ormea.

DANIEL B. HARMON, OF PALMYRA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ISAAC T. VAN DUZER, OF SAME PLAGE.

BALLAST-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 257,160, dated May 2, 1882.

Application filed March 2,1832. (No model.)

To all whom Iit may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL B. HARMON, a citiz'en of the United States, residing at Palmyra, in the county ofWayne and State ofNew York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Bnllasting and Surfacing Gars; and do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to io which it appertains to make and use the same,

reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and gures ot' reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specitication.

` My invention relates to improvements in ballasting or surfacing cars for the construction and maintenance of railroads; and itconsistsin details of construction and arrangem ent ofthe "several parts, that will be hereinafter more 2o fully set forth in the specilication and claims,

and pointed out in the accompanying drawings, in whicl1 Figure 1 is a perspective view ot my device;

Fig. 2, a plan view of same, and Fig. 3 a detail View of the mechanism for actuating the discharge-gate.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, A represents the inclined sides, and B the inclined ends, of the ear, the inside ofthe 3o car-body being thus formed like a hopper. The sides ofthe ear are no higher than an ordinary platform-car; but the body is carried down between the wheels, thus increasing theA capacity ofthe car. The inclined sides A, at

their lower edges, have secured to them two beams or supporting pieces, U', held by the truss-rods P. These rods, placed at suitable intervals apart, prevent any saggingor springing ofthe sides and frame. The space between 4o the pieces C at the bottom ofthe car forms a discharge-openin g, which is opened and closed by a movable gate, O, secured to one end of a ratchet-bar, H, actuated by a peculiar pawland-ratchet mechanism that 'will be hereinafter explained. The gate C extends the entire length of the sides A, and at its extremities abuis against guide-pieces Q, (vide Fig. 2,) so as to insure a positive action and prevent slipping of the gate at the ends. The gate is 5o supported by rods O, extending from one of the pieces U' to the opposite side, S, of the carframe. These rods also tend to prevent the pieces C from spreading apart. Attached to one or both sides of the car-body., at or near the center, by means ofthe stirrupJ, is aratchet- 5.5 lever, D, which extends above the top of the car, and is held in position when not in use by a hasp, K, or other suitable device. This lever is mounted on the axle of the ratchet-wheels F G. 6o Areversible pawl, e, pivoted on the crosspieee e, is actuated by a rod, E, also extending to the top of the earthat is, the pawl is reversed by said rod E. Now suppose the ear loaded and the gate C closed, and it is desired to open it to unload the car. The pawl e is turned on its pivot and thrown down by lever E until its engaging end g drops between the cogs of wheel F, as shown in Fig. 1. The lever Dis then thrown backward away from the 7o side of the car. This of course raises the pawl and allows it to drop between the next cogs. and as the lever D is brought back the pawl pushes against the cogs and moves the wheels F Gr, which are rigidly secured together. The cogs on wheel G mesh with those on bar H and cause it to move, and of course the gate G at the same time. This is continued until the gate is opened. To close it a reverse motion is given to pawl e, and the same operation 8a performed.

It is obvious that the gate can be opened more or less, and either a little or all ofthe ballast deposited in the center of the track. Thus the load can be dumped by a single person.

In the ordinary fiat car the ballast must be thrown first on the sides of the track and then rehandled by throwing it to the center, thus causingloss oftimebydoublehandling. More- 9o over, on embankments the ballast rolls down and is wasted, and in cuts the ditches become tilled up. Miy` improved car prevents this loss of time and ballastn by depositing it lwhere needed-z'. e., iu center of track. 95 These cars can be much more economically constructed than tlat cars, one of which twenty-eight feet in length will only carry six yards of ballast, while my car sixteen feet in length (seventeen feet over all) will carry six yards. .I roo mayprovide two gates operated by the ratchet mechanismen each side ot' the car without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Aballast-ca-r consistingof a hopper-body the center ot' which is carried down between the wheels close to the axles, said body having a continuous longitudinal discharge-opening, opened and closed by a sliding plate actuated by a reversible-pawl mechanism and supported by frame-pieces secured by trussrods, whereby sagging and springing are prevented, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a ballast-ear having a longitudinaldischarge-aperture, a sliding gate, C, whereby the aperture is closed or opened, said gate consisting ofa movable plate secured to a ratchetbar actuated by a reversible-pawl mechanism, asset forth.

3. In a ballast-car having a longitudinal discharge opening, a sliding gate actuated by pawl-and-ratchet mechanism, as described, the ends of said gate abutting against guides on the frame-piecesand supported by cross-rods secured to thevi'rame ofthe car-body, as set forth.

4. In a ballast-car having a longitudinal discharge-aperture,the combina-tion of a sliding gate, lsupported as described,.with a ratchetbar secured at one end to the gate, and ratchet-wheels lactuated by a lever and a reversible pawl, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination,in a ballast-car as described, of a sliding gate, a ratchet-bar secured thereto and resting on a stirrup, J, attached to the car-body, ratchet-wheels F G, lever D, and reversible pawl e, substantially as set forth. v

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of t-wo Witnesses.

DANIEL B. HARMON.

fitnessen W. C. DUVALL, Jas. H. MARR. 

